was redu
26.2, the highest being in 1889, when it was 81.0. For the last five years, not withstanding the two epidemics of plague which unfortunately visited this colony in 1894 and 1896, the average death rate per thousand per aunum was 24.4, the maximum being in 1894, when it was 30.3, or rather less than the maxi mum for the five years previous to the existence of this Board, when we had no epidemic of a similar nature, and the minimum was in 1893, when the rate was 21.5. In 1895, when a few cases of plague occurred in this colony, the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
April 28, 1897
| Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen, having duly | cattle depots and slaughter houses. – It is true shown our loyalty and respect to Her Majesty and that, ten years ago, the law, as now forbade to His Excellenoy the Governor, Her Majesty's the slaughter of animals unfit for food, but the representative in the colony, in the two preced- wily Chinaman who perceived amongst his ing tousts, it now becomes my pleasant duty beasts an animal that might have sat for a to propose what may fairly be called the special photograph of one of Pharaoh's lean kine toast of the evening, viz., "Our Guest, the generally managed to get it slaughtered, and Honourable F. A. Cooper, Director of Public eaten, too, by the innocent European colonists, Works." It is, now, more than seven years to the great injury of their digestion. Now, since I arrived in Hongkong as Attorney however, our cattle depot forms the only gatë General. It did not take me long to become through which sheep and cattle can enter the acquainted with most of the members of the colony and at that portal stands the Inspector
death rate was only 21.9. These are practical Civil Service here, and among the various whose duty is to prevent the ingress or the results must say are very satisfactory excellent gentlemen belonging to that frater- slaughter of unsuitable animals. Each animal
indeed to Board. As it is considered that the population of this colony is approximately 250,000 persons, a saving of five per thousand per annum means no less than 1,250 lives saved per annum. It would be quite out of the question for me to attempt to review the various works done by the Board since its existence in. 1888, but since its consti- tution the drainage and the, water supply have been placed on a satisfactory basis and the powers conferred on the Board by the Public Health Ordinance have been enforced That the work of this Board is not done is only too clear, and although a considerable reduction has been made in the death rate I look forward with confidence to a still further reduction, and al- though I regret I shall be no longer connected with this Board I shall look forward to a reduc- tion with a great deal of pleasure. Gentlemen, I have now to thank you most sincerely for the resolution which you have just passed.
PLAQUE AT BOMBAY,
The official return from Bombay showed that from March 4th to March 17th the number of cases of plague in that city was 1,196 and the number of deaths 1,048.
MORTALITY STATISTICS. For the week ended 10th inst. the death rate was 14.1 against 28.6 for the corresponding period of last year, and for the week ended 17th inst. the rate was 14.5 as against 24.4 for the corresponding period of last year.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Board adjourned until Thursday week.
CIVIL SERVICE COMPLIMENTARY DINNER TO THE HON. F. A. COOPER.
A most successful gathering of Civil Ser vents took place on Saturday evening in the City Hall for the purpose of bidding farewell the Hon. F. A. Cooper, Director of Public 'Works, who leaves soon for Ceylon, amongst those present being H.E., Sir William Robin-
BOD,
Sir J. Carrington, Hon, J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Hon. W. M. Goodman, Hon. A. M. Thomson, Hon. F. H. May, Hon. R. M. Rumsey, Dr. Atkinson, Dr. Clark, Dr. Wright, and Messrs. Wodehouse, Bowdler, Chatham, Dennys, Kyshe, Seth, A. J. May, G. Stafford North- cote, McCallum, Duggan, Arthur, Prosser, P. Hazeland, E. M. Hazeland, Gibbs, Chapman. Drury, Crook, Tutcher, Sercombe Smith, Platt, Browne, Gale, Mudie, Hollingsworth, Boulton, Knox, Badeley, Wood, &c.
The Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART was Chairman and the Hon. W. M. GOODMAN acted as Croupier.
The dining hall and verandahs were prettily decorated with flags, flowers, pot plants. and lanterns, and although it was a hot night this was not allowed to interfere with the pleasure of the evening.
The company sat down to an excellent dinner, the service of which was a credit to Mr. Bishop of the “ Grill.”
nity there was one man who specially seemed must now be marked and passed before to me to join great ability to an indefatigable being slaughtered. The admirable depote capacity for work, and to possess, moreover, were Mr. Cooper's work. Fifthly, as to build. those stannch and sterling qualities which form ings. Ten years ago the old Building Ordin- the basis on which true friendship should be built. ance of 1856 was still in force. A year or I allude, of course, to, our present Director of more after Mr. Cooper's arrival the Building Public Works. It always seemed to me that, Ordinance of 1889 was passed while he was unless his health broke down from overwork, acting as Surveyor-General; and although there must be a most honourable and useful some subsequent legislation has been required, career before him. Well, gentlemen, Mr. the abuses which formerly existed are no Cooper s promotion-his well earned promotion longer permitted, and builders of houses are at a comparatively early age, to the important compelled to take into consideration, at all post to which he has been appointed in so large events to some extent, the sanitary requirements and so important a colony as Ceylon, shows of the colony, and not only to scheme how to that the Right Hon. the Secretary of State extract the largest rental from the smallest has appreciated his merit, and, though we shall piece of ground. Sixthly, as regards the be sorry to lose him from Hongkong, I Recreation Ground. Ten years ago the race- venture to predict that, in the course of time, course was where it is now, but the space inside his ability and sterling qualities will be re- it was partly a dismal swamp and partly a cognised in Ceylon as they have been in vast pond. I am told one might see an oc- this colony. I must not, however, further casional snipe there, or once in a while a few of embarrass our guest by discussing, in his pre- those remarkable athletes who rather like play- sence, his excellent points as a private in- ing football in water up to their ankles. The dividual, but I should like to call attention to great improvements which, at a large cost, have some of his work as a public official, and I may, turned that swamp and pond into an admirable I think, without wearying you, well compare, recreation ground where cricket, football, golf, from a sanitary point of view, the state of and other healthy sports are regularly indulged things existing some nine or ten years ago, in, were carried out under Mr. Cooper's auspices. when he arrived in the colony, with the present I must not weary you with other matters, but if condition of affairs. I will take some half I had bad time. I would have spoken more fully of dozen instances. First, as regards the water the heavy labour involved in the Prays Reclama- supply (and seeing the excellent provision of tion and its complicated accounts, of which I saw wine to-night, it will do us no harm, at least, to something when I was Acting Colonial Secre- talk about water). When Mr. Cooper arrived, tary in 1891. Complaints are sometimes made the Tytam reservoir and its magnificent of its slow progress, and that, too, by the very aqueduct were practically completed, but there people who three or four years back petitioned existed no adequate means of distributing the for the discontinuance of the work and thus additional supply of water thus secured. br. censierably delayed it execution. Nor must I Cooper's excellent report, amended by Mr. do more than allude to the extremely heavy work Chadwick, having been approved by Sir Robert connected with the Taipingshan Resumption Rawlinson, this work has been carried out to and the enormous crop of arbitration cases, in completion, with pumping stations, house service, which I found Mr. Cooper's aid simply invalu- and public fountains. Not only has the town of able; indeed the chief share of the work fell Victoria been supplied, but also the Peak, which upon his shoulders. In the midst of his has necessitated providing means of forcing labours he took a short holiday and went, to the water to a height of between 1,700 and England. I think it is Tennyson who wrote: 1,800 feet. The Pokfulam conduit filter beds "In the spring a young man's fancy lightly were. constructed by Mr. Cooper, and thus not turns to thoughts of love." However this may only water, but first class filtered water was be, our Director of Public Works did not supplied to the public The excellent Kowloon return to the colony alone, and we who have water system is also his work, and if any one the pleasure of knowing Mrs. Cooper cannot wants to know what provision is being made but feel how great will be our social loss, when for the future, let him read Mr. Cooper's ad- she, too, has left Hongkong for another colony mirable report on the whole subject of our Well gentlemen, if I have bestowed some praise water supply, which is dated 9th May last and upon our worthy guest it will do him no harm. is an excellent specimen of the thoroughness There were times when it was the fashion, of his work. Secondly, as regards drainage. among a certain section of the public, to run When Mr. Cooper arrived, practically nothing him down and treat him as the scapegoat of had been done since Mr. Chadwick, in his report the official circle. That time has long since of 1882, had pointed out the radically defective gone by. It is not every man who has a smile character of the system then in force. Suffice and a yes" at the tip of his tongue for every it to say, this is now entirely changed. The applicant who comes with some unreasonable separate system has been carried out, and when request, advantageous. to himself but detri the Prays and its drains are finished I feel con mental to the interests of the community. Mr. fident the public will fully appreciate the im- Cooper has often had to say "no," because he mense improvement which has been effected. was acting in the interests. of the public; and Here I may mention that, as the carrying out people who have the courage to say " no,” and of the water distribution and the drainage say it decisively, are apt, temporarily at works necessitated the laying of nearly 30 miles least, to make enemies. I feel sure, of pipes, in each case, it is difficult to see how however, that by this time people of that class this was to be done without considerable excava.have learnt to see that their requests were un- reasonable, and our gathering in Mr. Cooper's honour to-night shows how highly he is appre- ciated by those who know him best. It was Shakespeare who said The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their hones Our Director of Public Works is, however, fortunate in this respect, that the good work, he has carried out in this colony will not be interred with him; but will, I feel sure, bear excellent fruit in the future and make Hongkong a healthier place than it has ever been before, Gentlemen, I give you the
After dinner the CHAIEMAN proposed the toast of the Queen, which was duly honoured. The next toast proposed by the Chairman was that of H. E. the Governor, and in acknowledg-tion in the roads. This inconvenience used to ing a most hearty reception His EXCELLENCY reminded those present that Mr. Cooper and himself were that evening the only guests, and as the chief end of the assembly was to do hon our to the Director of Public Works be asked to be considered of least importance on this o0- casion so that he might use the utmost brevity în replying.
After His EXCELLENCY had concluded the Hon. W. M. GOODMAN rose to propose the toast of the evening. He said-Your-Excellency,
[
afford much opportunity for "smart" letter writing to the Press, and the Director of Public Works used accordingly to be held up as a kind of monster who was always digging trenches to annoy the community. Thirdly, as to markets. Any one who now visits the Central Market (which, except as regards its foundations, was erected under Mr. Cooper's regime) and con- trasts it with the so-called markets of ten years ago, will realize what a change has been effected in this important matter Fourthly, as to the
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